Posts in North America
The Anti-Abortion Democrat Has Become A Politically Endangered Species

(ANALYSIS) Abortion has become a defining partisan issue, with Republicans generally anti-abortion and Democrats pro-abortion rights. Yet lawmakers like Charlie Baker, Susan Collins and Bob Casey show exceptions can succeed in some states. At the same time, long-term polling reveals growing support for abortion access across most religious groups.

Read More
Religious Freedom Watchdog Warns Of Expanding Fulani Militant Attacks In Nigeria

Militant Fulani killed more Christians in Nigeria over the past year than any other aggressor, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said May 8 in naming the militants a nonstate violator of religious freedom.

Read More
‘Joke Is On Me’: Russell Brand’s Salvation Tour Comes With A $33 Price Tag

(ANALYSIS) Russell Brand, the erudite Englishman, is scheduled to stand trial in the U.K. on three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault. He has pleaded not guilty to everything. He has also, in the meantime, become a Christian, moved to Florida and now he wants you to buy his book.

Read More
How Birth Control Became Part of America’s Midcentury Protestant Family Values

(ANALYSIS) Mother’s Day seems like a strange time to celebrate birth control, which, on its most basic level, is about helping people to not become mothers — or not become mothers again.

Read More
Brazilian World Cup Veteran Silas Shares His Story Of Faith And Purpose

Paulo Silas Pereira is preparing for the upcoming World Cup as a broadcaster. In doing so, his focus has shifted from goals and tactics to something far more personal: Telling the story of his life and Christian faith.

Read More
How Does Faith Influence Decisions About Marriage And Family?

(ANALYSIS) The general admonition is the same in many faith communities: Try to marry someone who shares your faith background. That’s certainly a well-established norm in Jewish communities.

Read More
An Orthodox Monastery Builds An American Tradition Deep In West Virginia

(ANALYSIS) There is nothing unusual about turning a corner in West Virginia's maze of rough mountain roads and seeing churches with plain white walls and big porches. The new sanctuary at the Hermitage of the Holy Cross — 10 miles of twists and turns into a holler outside the town of Wayne — offers a variation on that vision. Its green-metal roof has domes resembling medieval Russian helmets, topped with golden cupolas and soaring Slavic crosses.

Read More
Pastor Greg Locke Retracts Explosive Abuse Claims Against Copeland And Osteen

Pastor Greg Locke retracted years-old allegations accusing Kenneth Copeland, Joel Osteen and others of abuse, admitting he lacked any evidence. The claims unraveled after scrutiny from apologist Mike Winger, prompting Locke to admit he had been misled and been used as an “amplifier.”

Read More
‘In The Name Of Jesus’: Iran War Rhetoric Splits Christians

An Alabama town honors Vietnam veterans during a memorial ceremony, reflecting deep ties between faith and military life in this part of the country. Residents and leaders have increasingly used Christian rhetoric to frame U.S. military actions in the Middle East, drawing both support and criticism over religion’s role in government and war.

Read More
How Georgia’s Legacy Was Built On Religious Diversity

To fully understand Atlanta, you have to look beyond its highways and glass towers, back to the broader history of Georgia and its unusual role during colonial America. In that earlier era, a quiet but consequential force — religious diversity — helped shape a mindset that would eventually contribute to the movement for independence in 1776.

Read More
From Chicago To Church Leader: Reflecting On Pope Leo XIV’s First Year

While several books have been published about Leo, it seems the definitive biography of the Pope’s life is finally here.

Read More
Supreme Court Restores Access To Abortion Pill By Mail

The U.S. Supreme Court has stayed a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals nationwide ban on mail-order abortion pills, the main mode of pregnancy termination in the U.S.

Read More
Baptist Roots Meets Modern Pressures: Baylor Confronts Its Defining Tension

(ANALYSIS) Across American history, many colleges have attenuated or dropped their original religious purposes. Harvard University stripped down its 17th-century Latin motto, “Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae” (Truth for Christ and the Church) to simply “Veritas.” However, Baylor still proclaims “integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment” as its core mission.

Read More
Science Says Religion Is Good For Your Mental Health

A massive amount of research confirms what your grandma has always told you: Go to church. It’s good for you. And if a church isn’t your scene, a temple, mosque, synagogue or gurdwara would also do. In fact, religious involvement is strongly associated with better mental, physical and social health outcomes, according to a new study.  

Read More